Glasgow's Red Road tower block housing complex was constructed by the Glasgow Housing Associating (GHA) between 1964 and 1969, with the intention of providing a modern housing community for a whopping 5000 residents.

Under the leadership of architect Sam Bunton, the simple housing blocks were built up to 25 and 31 stories high—the tallest residential housing structures in Europe, measuring 292ft (89m).

Initially, Red Road was a seeming success: a modern live/work community with shops and pubs and even an immense underground bingo hall(?!) By the depression of 1970s, the housing community was in a dire state.
Anti-social crime, vandalism and frequent burglaries, picked up—echoing the the nearby low-rise Blackhill housing community that was plagued by ruthless crime gangs.

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At this point, it was also discovered asbestos—used in large amounts to ensure the structural integrity of the buildings' steel frames—is a significant health hazard. But because of its integral role in the buildings' structure, it could not be removed until the building were demolished—and even then, safe removal would be tricky to maneuver.

Once symbolic of hope and prosperity, Red Road transitioned into a dumping ground of poverty, alienation, and crime.

Google Earth captured this video of the demolotion of one of the Red Road towers, Monday at 12:45pm. It took nearly 275 kilos of explosives to bring down the first Red Road tower block this past weekend, reports Arch Daily, "marking the beginning of a controlled demolition process that will completely remove the infamous residential complex from the Glasgow skyline by 2017."